Switcheroo
The name comes from the fact that the contestant can switch the numbers around on his/her second turn. Gameplay The prices for five prizes (a car and four small prizes) are shown on the board, with the tens digit missing from each. The contestant is presented with number blocks showing the five missing digits, each of which is different. The contestant is asked to fill in the missing digits with the blocks. They are given a 30-second time limit to ensure the game proceeds quickly. Once they have finished or time has expired, the contestant is told how many digits have been correctly placed, but not which ones. If all five prices are correct, the contestant has played the game perfectly and wins all five prizes, although this is rare (the first perfect playing did not occur until 1985 on the syndicated nighttime version). Otherwise, the contestant has the option of quitting and taking whatever prizes have the correct prices showing or make a "Switcheroo" and try to correct any mistakes within another 30-second time limit. The contestant is then told how many prices are correct. After deciding to stay with the initial placement of the blocks or after making the Switcheroo, the correct prices are revealed and the contestant wins those prizes. It is impossible for a contestant to win exactly four of the prizes, as any four prizes being correctly tagged would necessitate the fifth block being with the correct prize. For this reason, the display that shows the number of correct prizes cannot light up the number "4". History On April 14, 1995, for no apparent reason, the clock started at 45 seconds instead of 30 as the contestant began to play. As this happened, Bob got confused as she thought had 30 seconds, later saying, "I'll stop her at 15, that's what I'll do!". On October 2, 2003, the game had its first (and so far, only) instance of a handicapped contestant playing the game (specifically, Tyler van Haetsma, a 2001 graduate of Calvin College); thus, then-Barker's Beauty Claudia Jordan helped place the blocks and, for the first time since April 14, 1995, the time limit was increased to 45 seconds. On November 11, 2003, a 99-year-old man played the game without a time limit. As such, Bob placed digits into prices at the contestant's request. On April 30, 2008, during that night's The Price Is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular, Switcheroo was chosen as the Million Dollar Game. The requirement to win the million dollars was to get all five prizes correct on the first attempt. On one episode in the early 1990s, a contestant lost the car, but when the price was revealed, it was discovered that the fourth digit in the car was accidentally switched with the fifth digit, thus making it impossible for the car to be won. On that discovery, Bob awarded the contestant the car. Beginning on December 31, 2012, the spaces for the missing numbers are lighted up. Switcheroo has had nine perfect wins (all five prizes won), the most Recent perfect win happened on April 18, 2007. Trivia For some unapparent reason, Drew would just give the contestant involved a second chance right then and there no matter how many right without even asking him/her if he/she wants it or not. From September 13, 1993-June 1, 2010, after the car was described, the host tells the contestant that there are other prizes he/she could win and then the small prizes were announced and the prop was revealed afterwards. Since October 5, 2010, the prop is revealed first. Switcheroo uses the losing horns only when the contestant wins no prizes on a second try, although winnings of small prizes only are technically considered a loss. Think Music There have been three different pieces of music that have been used in Switcheroo's history. The first cue was a vaudeville-style song reminiscent of the one used at the time for Race Game. On the 1985 syndicated version, a remix of the theme from Celebrity Charades was used. The current cue, entitled "The Head Clown," has been in use since 1992; in addition, its final measures are heard when switching prices in Switch?. Pictures Switcheroo 1.jpg|Here's the old look of Switcheroo with a four-digit format and an absence of a clock. Switcheroo 2.jpg|Here's another from 1996 with a five-digit format. Note that a clock has been added to the board. Switcheroo 3.jpg|Here's a playing of the game with Tyler van Haetsma, a disabled contestant from October 2, 2003. To accommodate him, then-Barker's Beauty Claudia Jordan placed the blocks in for him and he was given 45 seconds to play instead of the usual 30. Switcheroo 4.jpg|Here's a perfect playing from May 25, 2005 (the last under the Bob Barker Era). switcheroo1.png|Here's Switcheroo with the lighted spaces. vlcsnap-2014-06-01-15h48m39s64.png vlcsnap-2014-06-01-15h49m41s178.png YouTube Videos First perfect playing with Tom Kennedy A Win from 1997 (March 19, 1997) Handicapped Contestant plays Switcheroo (October 2, 2003) 99 Year Old Contestant Plays Switcheroo (November 11, 2003) Wonderful Win from 2008 (December 8, 2008) A Win from Season 41 (December 31, 2012) A Painful Loss from Season 42 (January 27, 2014) Only Switcheroo Winner from Season 42 (April 16, 2014) Dismissal Playing from 2014 (April 29, 2014) Another Painful Loss from Season 42 (June 27, 2014) Category:Pricing Games Category:Active Games Category:Car Games Category:Small Prize Games Category:1970s Pricing Games